Why you probably need more sleepâand how to get it
Reading Time: 6 minutesSleep deprivation can affect more than just your tiredness; it can have a major impact on your immune system, weight, stress level, and focus.
How to encourage students to get the sleep they need
Reading Time: 2 minutes
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The value of sufficient sleep can’t be overestimated, especially for busy college students. Researchers consistently find that not getting enough sleep can significantly affect how students function.
Lack of sleep has a negative effect on the regulation of hormones and other physiological processes, such as motor skills. Sleep deprivation is also linked to an increase in cortisol, more commonly known as the bodyâs âstress hormone.â And stress levels have an impact on weight, mood, energy level, immunity, and concentrationâso sleep is a key factor in studentsâ academic success.
Acute sleep deprivation is often associated with episodes of âmicrosleep,â or brief, uncontrollable periods of sleep lasting three to six seconds. â[They can] intrude upon wake at inopportune times, such as during a lecture,â says Dr. Michel Bornemann, a sleep medicine specialist and former codirector of the Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center.
It can also be more serious. Dr. Bornemann points out that research shows driving after pulling an all-nighter is âvery similar to the impairment experienced when driving while intoxicated with alcohol.â
How to help students get proper sleep
- Emphasize the essential role of sleep in physical and emotional well-being. Reiterate that sleep can help them in more ways than just feeling refreshed; their stress, concentration levels, immunity, and overall health will all improve.
- Help students find ways to prioritize getting sufficient sleep. If they can prioritize what needs to be done immediately and what can wait, theyâll likely get a bit more sleep.
- Teach them about good sleep hygiene. Winding down in a dimly lit room, avoiding screens an hour before bed, and going to bed and waking around the same time each day will help them regulate their sleep cycle.
- Encourage your student to avoid driving and similar activities when drowsy. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that drowsy drivers cause 100,000 crashes every year.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Harvard Medical School Division of Sleep Medicine
Sleep, The official journal of the Sleep Research Society and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Dr. Michel Bornemann, lead investigator, Sleep Forensics Associates and physician at Olmsted Medical Center, Rochester, Minnesota.
American Psychological Association. (2013). Stress and sleep. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2013/sleep.aspx
Harvard School of Public Health. (n.d.). Waking up to sleepâs role in weight control. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-causes/sleep-and- obesity/
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National Sleep Foundation. (2012, November 9). Young people more likely to drive drowsy. Retrieved from https://drowsydriving.org/2012/11/young-people-more-likely-to-drive-drowsy/
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Wright Jr., K. P., Drake, A. L., Frey, D. J., Fleshner, M., et al. (2015). Influence of sleep deprivation and circadian misalignment on cortisol, inflammatory markers, and cytokine balance. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 47, 24â34.